


Castles in the Sand

by nosmokingpistol



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Angst, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-26
Updated: 2018-01-26
Packaged: 2019-03-09 20:59:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13489665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nosmokingpistol/pseuds/nosmokingpistol
Summary: The Doctor and Rose discover that love, like a sand castle, may be fragile and short-lived-- but it is still worth the effort.





	Castles in the Sand

**Author's Note:**

> This little story takes place immediately following "Father's Day".

The Doctor watched as Rose Tyler gently kissed her father’s forehead. At the moment of Peter Alan Tyler’s death, Time had righted itself, the Reapers had gone, and their erasures had rejoined creation. Rose stood and gazed down at her Daddy, willing herself to remember every detail of the face she would never see again. As she looked up, she saw the Doctor standing quietly across the road and walked slowly toward him. Her steps were heavy with grief, and the fact that the Doctor was there before her, gently reaching out to take her hand when a short time ago she had seen him engulfed by a Reaper, barely registered. They walked together in silence back to the Tardis. He opened the door and she walked past him and over to the jump seat without a word. He went to the console and pretended to read the diagnostic grid. 

The Doctor tried not to stare at her. Tried to give her a moment to process what had happened, to grieve for a man she’d hardly known yet loved with all her heart. But as she shuddered, and brought her hands up to bury her face in them he moved quickly to Rose’s side and wrapped his arms around her, holding her as she quietly wept. Eventually she pulled away a little, used her sleeve to wipe at her eyes and looked up at him. 

“I’m sorry.” Two little words, but said with such sincerity the Doctor had no doubt she meant them with all her heart. He had been furious with her, called her a stupid ape and accused her of going with him only as a means to save her father. He tucked wayward strands of hair back behind her ear and smiled softly down at her.

“I know. I’m sorry too.” He cupped her face and bent to press his lips against her forehead. He lingered there, enjoying the heat of her flushed face and the smell of her hair. When he withdrew she sighed and returned his smile.

“It’s not just my Dad, you know?”

“What do you mean?”

It was her turn now to reach out to him. She traced the angle of his jaw with her thumb before speaking.

“I thought I’d lost you. I saw that Reaper take you and I thought I’d never see you again. And it was all my fault.” He grinned cheekily. 

“Aw, come on, Rose. Better men than you have tried to get rid of me!” The Doctor leapt to his feet as Rose smacked his arm, and returned to the console. The tension now broken he made his usual show of flipping switches and spinning dials, and as he had hoped Rose was enticed to join him. She peered at the helmic regulator curiously.

“Where’re we goin’?” The Doctor’s grin widened and he threw off the hand brake with a flourish.

“Wouldn’t you like to know!” With a jolt they were off.

********* 

They stepped out of the Tardis and onto a beach. More specifically an unending beach of pure white sand and crystal blue water. The sun was high and hot, and the Doctor and Rose immediately shed their outer layers and walked down to the water’s edge. The air was fresh and pure and as far as she could see in either direction there was no sign of civilisation. Behind them the Tardis stood on the dune, surrounded by scrub grass and backed by an expanse of palmettos. It was beautiful. It was perfect.

“Where are we, Doctor?” The ocean breeze blew Rose’s hair over her face, and she combed it back with her fingers.

“The Edge of America. That’s what they’ll call it, in seven thousand years. This is Folly Beach, South Carolina, USA! Before the pier and the beach houses, before the Europeans. Even the indigenous peoples haven’t settled here yet. It’s just you and me, Rose. For as long as you like. Peace and quiet and time. Oh, and them!” He pointed to a pod of dolphins rounding the waves beyond the surf. Rose’s eyes grew wide and her smile lit up her face.

“They’re gorgeous! Oh, I love it here.” Rose reached out and took the Doctor’s hand, “So what d’you want to do, you want to go swimmin’?” She tucked her tongue at the corner of her mouth, and curled the tip. “I didn’t pack a suit, but there’s nobody can see us.” The Doctor didn’t reply, just smiled and began peeling off his clothes. With a giggle Rose did the same and soon they were running into the surf. They dove into the sea, swimming out to where the waves were unformed swells, and tread water in silence.

The Doctor watched Rose as the swells lifted her. Her head was tilted back, her eyes closed against the sun. With each roll of water her full breasts were exposed, their nipples hardened. She looked beautiful, somehow primal—the distillation of human, unguarded and concerned with nothing other than the physical pleasure of the moment. He moved closer and as she felt the small ripples signaling his approach she lifted her head, opened her eyes and smiled. Her breath caught as she saw the look of desire on his face. His eyes burned, dark with lust, and when he finally looked away from her and began swimming toward shore she followed without a word. With each stroke she felt her own desire building as well.

Rose had accepted that the Doctor was not given to romantic gestures or flowery verse. He had never told her he loved her, and that in turn had prevented her from voicing her feelings for him. He had lost everything and everyone in the War. She understood his fear. If he spoke it aloud it made it real. If it was real, it would be torn away from him. For now, their love would remain a waking dream. Yet she had no doubt that the Doctor did love her, and knew that she returned that love in kind. With every touch, and smile, and gesture he demonstrated the depth of his love. As she reached the shallows she found her footing and walked toward him. He stood at the edge of the break line, where the waves broke into a foamy shallow wash, and as she approached he opened his arms wide. In one motion he scooped her up, holding her high as she wrapped her legs around his waist and buried her face in the curve of his neck. She could feel the double beating of his hearts against her cheek. God, how she loved to feel his hearts beating. How she loved him. 

She felt the Doctor’s hand stroking her back, moving up to her neck, now entwining his fingers in her hair. She drew back and found his mouth hungrily seeking hers. He sighed with the first kiss--the rightness of it—as he felt her lips part, and his tongue darted out to quickly circle the inside of her full lips and flick briefly over the edges of her teeth. In answer she opened her mouth to him, and as he began to probe and explore, running the tip of his tongue across the roof of her mouth she savored the taste of him, the not-quite-human undertones that reminded her of sage, and steel, and wine. She captured his tongue, sucked it, stroked it until the need to catch her breath won out and she broke the kiss and pressed her forehead against his. They stilled for a moment, both panting, eyes closed until with a soft moan he fell to his knees in the foam and sand and settled her on his thighs.

Immediately he began trailing kisses down her face, her neck, at the same time reaching one hand up to cup her breast, squeeze it, roll the nipple with his fingers. Rose unclasped her legs from around the Doctor’s waist and bent her legs back until she was straddling him on her knees. She raised herself up, gently placing her hand on the back of his head and stroking his soft, short hair. As his mouth found her hardened nipple and began suckling it she felt his cock twitching against her thigh. He brushed her breast with his teeth and moaned as she trailed her other hand down his chest, his belly, finally reaching down to cup his balls. She rolled and gently squeezed them before wrapping her hand around his swollen cock, stroking it in a steady rhythm before pausing to ring the head. She lightly ran one finger over the slit and as beads of pre-cum began to flow she resumed her stroking. The Doctor moaned louder, his breath catching as Rose gripped his cock below the head and squeezed firmly, fingering over the head again before stroking back down and gripping it firmly at its base. 

The Doctor let his hands fall to Rose’s bum, kneading her full buttocks and sliding one hand down and across her hip, then down her thigh. His hand continued on across the front of her thigh and up until it rested in the soft crease of her groin. He reached between her legs, feeling the heat of her arousal even before he dipped his thumb between her wet folds, and circled up until he found her clit. He could feel it harden under his thumb and he continued his slow circles until she was gasping with pleasure and need. He slid two fingers into her, curling and spreading them until she reached down to take his hand. He watched her as she slowly licked his fingers, sucked them, tasted herself on him. He licked his lips, breathing heavily now, aching to be inside her. 

“Rose.” The Doctor took back his hand, and reached around to her back. With his other hand still on her bottom he drew her closer to him. Rose kept her grip on his cock and as she moved closer she lowered herself on him, just letting the first few inches of his thick shaft slide into her. She raised herself up until just the head was inside her and then sank down, taking more of his cock, The Doctor leaned back a little and she canted her hips before lowering herself further. When finally she had taken him completely into her she began rocking slowly, adjusting to his girth. He leaned into her again, covering her mouth with his own, kissing her hard, and long. She responded, pulling him even closer, straining to devour him with her swollen lips, stretching her tongue to meet his, and feeling him bucking now, beginning to thrust deeply into her, his massive cock so hard, so thick, so long and yet with each thrust she wanted more. More of him.

The Doctor’s breath came in ragged gasps now. He felt Rose’s heat grow, felt the tension grow deep inside her and it felt so good, so perfect to be with her, to feel her consume him. He gripped her hips as he bucked harder, deeper and she was so tight, so hot. The smell of her hair and of her, he felt her breath in his mouth and she was gripping him, squeezing. He felt Rose’s mouth leave his as she arched her back, eyes closed, crying out his name and his cock was so hard, so hard and aching for release. With another cry Rose came, wave after wave of pleasure coursing through her and again she cried out as he pounded into her. Again, again until finally a shudder went through him and he grunted, released, came in shattering waves, pumping his seed so deep, so deep inside her as he called out her name. Finally, spent, they held each other until he softened and slipped wetly from her. Rose sighed deeply, content and happy, and began to giggle. The Doctor chuckled softly, and kissed her lightly on the nose. 

“That, Rose, was fantastic! More than fantastic, it was…perfect.” 

“Yeah it was. Absolutely perfect. Perfect place. Perfect day.” She reached up, stroked his ear. Oh, she loved his big daft ears. And his big daft smile. How he made her feel beautiful, and safe, and special. “Perfect Doctor!” She giggled again. The Doctor stood, still holding her, and carried her back into the water. They swam again, splashed and played until they both admitted they were hungry. As they walked up toward the dune and approached the Tardis Rose let go of the Doctor’s hand. 

“I’ll just make us some sandwiches, or soup or something yeah? Fancy anything in particular?” The Doctor raced ahead of her and opened the Tardis door. He stepped inside and turned to face her, holding the door open as he spoke. 

“Yeah! Take away! Be right back!” 

He grinned and shut the door. Before she could say a word the familiar grinding sound had begun and the Tardis and its occupant were gone. Almost immediately it returned and the Doctor came bounding out of the door. He was wearing board shorts, a Hawaiian shirt, sandals and a big straw hat. He carried two small plastic buckets full of what looked like muddy rocks and a canvas bag was hanging from his shoulder. He plunked the lot down in front of Rose and pointed at his cache. 

“I made a few stops up and down, forwards and backwards, all along the coast—we’ve got fresh oysters, sweet corn, and peaches! Oh, and I got us some Muscadine, and a nice bronze Scuppernong—bit dryer, probably better with the oysters.” Rose gestured toward his clothes and laughed. He looked a bit ridiculous, yet happier than she could ever remember seeing him. 

“It all sounds delicious, yeah, but—you look like a beach bum!” She drew close and wrapped her arms around his waist. 

“Good—just the look I was going for! And you—“ he said as he played a drum roll on her bottom “—will be a burnt bum if you don’t put some clothes on! I bought you presents, they’re in your bedroom.” Rose whooped with delight and kissed him quickly before heading into the Tardis. The Doctor watched her disappear, and then sighed with contentment before picking up the buckets and heading down to the water. 

******** 

Rose hurried to her bedroom, fitted to her liking although truth be told the Doctor spent time there as well. He needed little sleep but would stay with her until she dozed off before wandering away to effect repairs or read in the library. Laid out on the bed was a pink and yellow sun dress—a bit more flouncy and floral than she would have preferred—with a smocked bodice and string tie straps. Next to it was a coordinating parasol, and she smirked at the sight of it. It seemed out of place in a space-time ship, a naff relic of days gone by. Or yet to come, she supposed, in their case. And yet, she realised that the Doctor himself had chosen this for her, that he must see her as a girl—a woman—who could carry it off despite her daily wear of hoodies and tees and jeans. The thought pleased her, and she hurriedly showered the salt out of her hair. She pinned it up, still wet, with a mother-of-pearl comb that had been her Gran’s. 

After she had finished dressing she grabbed a blanket, two wine glasses, and some plates and serviettes, and packed them into a hamper. She carried it to the Tardis doorway and stood twirling the parasol. The Doctor was down at the water scrubbing the dirt and beards from the oysters. He had already started a fire with driftwood and dried palmetto fronds, and several ears of corn were wrapped in seaweed and steaming on the rocks at its edge. The bottles of wine were cooling in the wet sand of the shallows. 

“Hello there kind sir,” Rose drawled in an appalling attempt at a Southern accent. “Ah don’t suppose a big strong gentleman like you could help little ol’ me with this great big basket, could ya’all?” The Doctor looked over and rolled his eyes. 

“Come on Rose, I’ve seen you carry duffle bags that weighed twice as much as—“ He caught the playful look she gave him as she twirled the parasol again for his benefit, and stood. “Why ma’m, ah rightly could. Ah wouldn’t want little ol’ you to strain your little ol’ self.” He grinned and cocked his head cheekily, knowing he sounded atrocious. When Rose burst out laughing he indignantly reverted to his natural voice. “Oi! I told you my planet had a North, I never said it had a South! I’m not exactly hearing Scarlett O’Hara coming from your general direction!”Rose laughed as she walked over towards the fire and deposited the basket. She spread the skirt of her dress and turned, modeling for him. 

“Thank you Doctor, I just love it. You like?” She could see that he did as his smile grew even wider. 

“Oh, I like! You look fantastic, Rose. Beautiful.” The Doctor went back to his oysters and Rose laid out the blanket and the items from the hamper. In short order the Doctor brought the buckets of cleaned oysters and the wine, and proceeded to open both with his sonic whilst Rose used a small piece of driftwood to roll the corn onto their plates to cool. It didn’t take long. She had just shucked an ear for the Doctor when he handed her an oyster. She swallowed it down greedily and it was the sweetest she had ever had. 

“Oh, my God this is gorgeous!” The Doctor grinned at her with teeth full of corn. 

“No pollution, Rose. No pesticides, herbicides, industrial waste or sewage. Here.“ He quickly shucked an ear of corn and handed it to her. “Fresh picked and full of sugar.” Rose had never had corn made like this, wood smoked, and brined by the seaweed. She groaned with pleasure as she ate it. As he handed her another oyster she leaned over and brushed a kiss across his cheek. 

“This—” she said, pointing to the feast spread before them, “—is one of the most brilliant ideas you have ever had. Ever!” Rose curled her tongue at the corner of her mouth and smirked suggestively at the Doctor. “And you know what they say about oysters.” 

“No, I don’t. What do they say about oysters?” he said as he slurped down another one. His blank look made Rose blush, suddenly shy. He really didn’t know. 

“Well, some people say they’re an aphrodisiac. That they, um….enhance a man’s performance.” She picked at the hem of her dress. 

“Huh! In some parts of Mongolia it’s barbecued yak penis! Aren’t ya glad we didn’t land there?” She certainly was. They ate until they could eat no more, saving the peaches for later, and the Doctor threw the corn cobs and shells onto the sand for the hermit crabs and birds to pick clean. Rose took the buckets from him and knelt in the sand where it was moist. The Doctor looked curiously at her as she began to scoop sand into them, packing it in tightly. He knelt beside her and took one of the buckets from her, following her lead. 

“What are we doing?” She looked at him and laughed. He could calculate the circumference of a planet to the millimeter and not blink, but when it came to the simple things he hadn’t a clue. 

“We are making a sand castle. Oh, I haven’t made one since I was a little girl and Gran took Mum and me to Llandudno on holiday. Aw, I miss my Gran. This was hers.” Rose softly touched the comb in her hair, then smiled and turned out a bucketful of sand. The Doctor frowned. 

“Well that’s wrong—you don’t have a motte. If you want a motte-and-bailey you need the motte.” He scooped wet sand into a mound and flattened the top. “Now we need timber for the palisade. We could use stone, I suppose—“ 

“Yeah, we don’t need stones, or timbers or palisades! This is just supposed to be fun, like a fairy tale castle. We’re not gonna live in it!” 

“Oh! Well then, it’s a fortress, not a castle, so you’ll want a motte and a moat for the best defense.” As he spoke he watched Rose as she flattened tiers of the mound at regular intervals. “What the hell are you doing?” She thought it looked obvious. 

“I’m making stairs! How else is anyone gonna climb up the mound to the castle? Not fortress--castle!” Ooh, that was a bit sharp. 

“Well that’s great, Rose, you might as well hang a sign on the front door that says ‘Come on in, we’re open for pillaging’! “ Rose looked at the Doctor. He was serious, and she knew he would drive her around the bend if she didn’t let him have his way. Only not on her castle. She pointed to the plot of sand behind it. 

“There. That’s yours. Your own sand and your own bucket, so you can make your own castle, or fortress, just…stay away from mine!” 

Well of course he didn’t. With a cheeky grin he built his mound—a wider, taller mound, she noticed—directly adjacent to hers. They faced each other, working in silence for awhile. The Doctor walked away at one point, and when he came back he dropped an oyster shell and a pointed stick next to Rose. He knelt at his mound and used the sharp edge of his own shell to square off part of it and flatten the top. Rose looked around the bucket-shaped sand on her own mound and smiled. 

“Thanks. So…that doesn’t look much like a castle, what is it?” The Doctor smiled back, well pleased with himself. 

“Oh, it’s a castle all right—it’s the backside of yours. If we’re not going to be historically or architecturally accurate, we might as well just have fun mixin’ it up! My half is a tasteful mélange of Bronze Age, Saracen and French. You?” Rose giggled happily. 

“I don’t know! A tasteful mélange of Cinderella and Prince Charming!” She laughed, and the Doctor’s grin widened. He loved that sound. 

They laughed and talked, about everything and nothing, and it was almost sunset before they had finished. The Doctor, just to show off, had built himself a spiral tower in the style of Escher, with stairs that led nowhere. Rose’s was more traditional, and the Doctor was impressed by her ability to maintain perspective and relative symmetry while abandoning basic precepts of construction. They walked along the beach for awhile, marveling at the loggerhead hatchlings as they began their escape from their nest, and listening to the splashes of Marlin as they broke water. When they returned only the moonlight showed them where they had left the blanket. Rose sat, legs out before her and leaning back on her palms, whilst the Doctor retrieved the peaches and the last of the wine and sat cross-legged next to her. 

They sipped the sweet Muscadine and ate the peaches, juice running down their chins. Finally the Doctor lay back, using his straw hat as a pillow, and Rose lay next to him with her head on his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her and with his other hand pointed at the sky. It was ablaze with stars. With no light pollution to interfere there were more stars than Rose had ever seen in the night sky. 

“See that star there? That is Gaia 327. Right about now, the intelligent life form on its second planet are testing their first interstellar ships. In another, oh…three thousand years or so they’ll wage their first interstellar war. And by your time they’ll have made themselves extinct.” The Doctor was quiet for a moment, and Rose remained still. She knew he was thinking of his own world. A burnt cinder. He shifted a little, and when he spoke again his voice was lighter. Mischievous. “Here’s another little fact I bet you didn’t know about your time. The good people of Folly Beach spend Saturday nights… Shaggin’.” Rose laughed at this, still giggling as she spoke. 

“Well the good people of London spend Saturday nights shaggin’, too. Where have you been?” The Doctor gave her a wide, cheeky grin. 

“Everywhere! Seriously, Rose, the state dance of South Carolina is called the Shag. They have Shag clubs, Shag lessons—even Shag contests! I’m tellin’ ya Rose, they’re so busy Shaggin’ they don’t have time to shag! “ Rose came up on one elbow and leaned in. She trailed kisses from the corner of the Doctor’s mouth across his cheek to his ear. She whispered huskily as she began unbuttoning his shirt with her free hand. 

“Do you think we need lessons, Doctor?” She slid over and began rubbing slow circles on his exposed belly as her kisses moved down to his neck. “Or would you rather tutor me privately?” He answered with a low moan as she quickly straddled him and grabbed his shirt with both hands, pulling him up so he could slide it off. When he was free of it she put both hands on his shoulders, pushing him back down and seeking his mouth. She kissed him tenderly at first, but as he brought his hands up to cup her breasts her kisses became more insistent and she probed his mouth deeply with her tongue, sighing as he began to respond in kind. 

Rose finally broke the kiss, and began working her way down to the angle of his jaw, the pulse point on his neck, his chest. She scraped her teeth against his cool flesh and licked circles around his nipples before settling in to suck and lightly bite first one side, then the other. The Doctor lay back with his eyes closed, softly moaning and entwining his hand in her hair. She continued on, lower, kissing her way down to his taught belly. She moved to the side and as she concentrated on the soft patch just above his navel she slid her hand just below the waist band of his shorts and lightly brushed across the wiry hair above his cock. She heard him gasp and smiled as she used both hands to gently tug down his shorts. The Doctor lifted his hips to help her and she slid them down and off. He was already starting to harden as she moved between his legs and began kissing and nibbling at his inner thighs. He bent one leg up and Rose moved higher, pressing against it so that it fell to the side. 

She began mouthing his balls, using her lips to pull at the delicate skin around them before taking one into her mouth. As she sucked and tongued it she began to taste the metallic, spicy taste that she loved because it was so uniquely him. She felt it begin to retract and she tugged it before releasing it with a pop. She turned her attention to the other one and as she rolled it in her mouth she used her thumb to lightly massage the soft skin of his perineum. She sucked harder, pulled, and pressed harder with her thumb until the Doctor moaned loudly and his cock twitched against his belly. Rose reached her hand up and curled it around his swollen shaft, gently squeezing before moving away from his balls and moving up to give it her full attention. 

Pumping it slowly she flicked her tongue across the head, catching his foreskin and tugging at it gently with her lips. She ringed her fingers at the base, holding it firmly as she licked slowly up and over the veins now pulsing at the underside. He was now fully engorged and Rose took him into her mouth, sucking the head before taking as much of his thick shaft as she could. She moved slowly up and down, pausing each time to brush her tongue across the head and gently probe his slit before sinking down again. She echoed the Doctor’s moans of pleasure and the vibration make him arch his back and cry out. She felt him shift as he rose up on his elbows, and released him. He held out one hand, his eyes lidded and darkened, and when he spoke his husky voice sounded almost like a growl. 

“Come here.” Rose grasped his hand, letting him balance her as she moved up to straddle him. She let go and pulled her dress off over her head, finishing just as the Doctor sat up the rest of the way and embraced her. He kissed her hungrily, and felt her heat against his thigh as she ground against him. He lay back again, slowly carrying her with him and then rolling them as one so that he now was on top. 

“My turn” he whispered before sprinkling light kisses along her length, pausing to lavish attention on her throat, her breasts, her belly. He rolled off of her and hooked his fingers on her knickers, sliding them off of her in one motion. He rolled back and Rose drew her knees up and spread her legs as he moved lower and wrapped his arms around her thighs, resting his hands on her abdomen. He probed with his tongue, flicking it across her clit before lapping at her folds. She was so hot, and wet with arousal that his cool tongue helped to temper her need at first. But as he licked long strokes over her and then used his lips to probe and suck at her clit she began to moan loudly, and reflexively tried to raise her hips. The Doctor pushed his hands against her, preventing her from moving, and increased the speed of his laving until she cried out and reached for one of his hands. She grasped it firmly, pulling it toward her and he lifted his head. She could hardly speak, breathless and still moaning even as she struggled to get the words out. 

“Doctor…please…now! I need you inside me now—” 

The Doctor quickly knelt, still holding her legs, and pulled her toward him. He lifted one leg to his shoulder and Rose wrapped the other around his waist. Gripping his throbbing cock he guided himself into her and with one stroke entered her fully. She arched her back as he withdrew almost all the way and then thrust again, harder this time. She tightened her legs around him and it spurred him on, until he was pounding into her, long hard strokes, burying himself in her over and over again. He repositioned himself, reaching under her thighs and bending her legs back, and she drew them up almost to her chest and spread them wide as he leaned over her, into her, increasing the speed and force of his penetration. The Doctor’s breath became ragged, then became no more than a hiss as Rose held onto him, crying out now with every thrust. He felt her tense, felt her clamp down on him and he felt himself starting to come even as he felt her orgasm begin. Wave upon wave of exquisite, almost painfully intense pleasure washed over both of them and they cried out with only the night birds to hear them. 

Spent, they remained entangled for awhile, until their breathing had slowed. They lay in silence, each alone with their thoughts and sharing an occasional soft kiss or caress. Before long the chill of night had begun to be uncomfortable. Rose shivered and the Doctor rolled away and stood, holding out his hand. “Come on, Rose. We should get inside for the night.” She took his hand and he pulled her up into an embrace. He smiled down at her, drinking in her smile, the sparkle of moonlight in her huge eyes, and felt a surge of love for her that took his breath away. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words he wanted to say wouldn’t come. Instead he just smiled and Rose grinned back at him.They gathered up their clothes and rolled them in the blanket, and Rose packed the dishes back in the hamper whilst the Doctor sanded over the dying embers of their fire. She closed her parasol and headed into the Tardis. 

She had already put on her nightshirt and crawled into bed when the Doctor, satisfied the fire was banked, picked up the rolled blanket and left the beach. Rose was half asleep, curled up on her side. The Doctor quickly donned his pyjama bottoms and slipped into bed , spooning up behind her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and rested his chin on the top of her head. A long while later when he was absolutely sure she was deep asleep and couldn’t hear, he whispered the words he had tried to say on the beach—“Rose Tyler…I love you.” He lay there awhile longer, intending to leave and go rewire the extrapolator shielding. Instead he fell into a deep and dreamless sleep, the first dreamless sleep he’d had since the Time War. 

********

Rose awoke first, and was pleasantly surprised to find the Doctor curled up beside her. She carefully slipped out of bed and turned back to look at him before leaving the room. He looked peaceful lying there. It touched her to see a small smile on his face, and she hoped that it was only the first of many peaceful nights for him. She left the Tardis and walked out onto the beach. The sun was up, the last tendrils of red and orange just dissipating. Already the seagulls were picking at the shells left by the receding tide. As Rose approached the spot where they had made their castle she could see that it had been reduced to a formless mass of sand, a hermit crab scuttling across what was once the Doctor’s spiral tower. It saddened her to see it gone. Even their footprints were gone. Only the dead ash of the fire remained to give evidence that they had ever been there for one perfect day. 

She heard the Doctor approaching behind her, but didn’t turn to greet him lest he see the tears that had begun to roll down her face. He stood behind her and wrapped his strong arms around her waist. He could sense her sorrow. He sensed an undercurrent running through his own life that told him his time with Rose may very well be short, and precious. Like a rip tide waiting to tear her away. Rose sighed and leaned back into him and he held her tight. He spoke without thinking. 

“Rose Tyler…”. His breath caught, and he stopped himself. He couldn’t. Not now. 

“Yeah?” Rose continued to gaze out at the surf. Her tears were drying. She had learned that nothing lasts forever, travelling with The Doctor. She shouldn’t have dreamed that they could stay in this untouched place. But it had been wonderful, and magical, and she would never regret coming here even if it hurt to leave. 

The Doctor turned his head and rested his cheek on the top of Rose’s head. He sighed deeply. “One day Rose. I promise one day I’ll be able to stand there—maybe on a beach just like this-- and look you in the eye and tell you I love you without seeing everyone else I’ve ever loved die, burning on a dead world.” He lifted his head and looked over at the remains of their castle. The spell was broken. It was time to go. He gestured over to it. 

“Rose Tyler… that’s what it’s like, travelling with me. Like castles in the sand. It seems like it will last forever, but one day the tide will come in, wash it all away. Nothing left but dead ash and memories.” Rose turned to face him. He looked sad again, and the contrast with his genuine happiness the previous day only magnified it. Rose reached up and cupped his cheek with one hand. She wouldn’t trade her time with him for all the world. Some day she might even be able to convince him that she’d stay with him forever. She smiled widely at him and saw his expression lighten, just a bit. 

“But it’s still worth it, yeah? ‘Cause the memories we make—they’ll be good ones. Fantastic memories, right?” The Doctor smiled back, blue eyes twinkling again. Rose curled her tongue at the corner of her mouth, her grin now saucy. Oh, he loved it when she did that, and the little minx knew it, too. 

“Yeah. Fantastic!” He took her hand. “Come on! Time to go make memories.” The cry of a lone sea bird was the last sound they heard as they entered the Tardis. Together.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
